Shoulder strap for undergarments



Sept. 4, 1951 J. v. HOLLAR 2,566,416

SHOULDER STRAP FOR UNDERGARMENTS Filed Oct. 21, 1947 iNVENTOR. [JEJHNHULLAR BY W ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 4, 1951 SHOULDER STRAP FORUNDERGARMENTS John V. Hollar, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to The LaResista Corset Company, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of ConnecticutApplication October Zl, 1947, Serial No. 781,086

The present invention relates to a shoulder strap structure for use withbrassieres, foundations, and similar ladies undergarments, and has foran object to provide a pre shaped shoulder strap which will fit smoothlyupon the slope of the shoulder with substantially equal pressure at eachof its edges.

Heretof ore known shoulder straps are constructed of a straight strip ofribbon or similar material having inner and outer edges of equal length,so that when they are engaged upon the unequal length surfaces ofsloping-shoulders, the inner or high edge of each strap will presstightly into the flesh, while the outer or low edge will be eitherloosely engaged or out of contact. This condition applies especially tonon-stretchable straps.

In the case of elastic stretchable straps the edges will stretch toconform to the unequal length shoulder surface, but the inner or highedge will be stretched to a greater extent than the outer or low edge,and will consequently exert greater pressure than the outer or low edge.

It is proposed, according to the invention, to provide a shoulder straphaving a pre-shaped form wherein the inner edge of the strap is ofgreater length than the outer edge, such greater length beingpredetermined so that the two edges substantially corresponding to theunequal lengths of the sloping shoulder surfaces to be engaged thereby,with the advantageous result that the strap will comfortably conform tothe slope of the shoulder with equal pressure at each of its edges.

With the above and other objects in view, an embodiment of the inventionis shown in the accompanying drawing, and this embodiment will behereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and theinvention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view from the front showing upon a figure agarment provided with shoulder straps according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view from the rear.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a shoulder strap according to the invention inflattened position.

Fig. 4 is a front view showing theshoulder strap in shoulder engagingposition, the dot-anddash lines indicating the slope of the shoulder.

Fig. 5 is an outer edge view of the shoulder strap as seen in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing for comparison purposes theheretofore known shoulder strap having straight equal length edges.

Similar reference characters indicate corre- 2 Claims. (Cl. 2-323)sponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawings, the shoulder strap, according to theinvention, is formed of any suitable material capable of maintaining apreshaped plan. While a non-stretchable material is preferred, it willbe understood that elastic stretchable material may be advantageouslyemployed. The strap, as shown in the illustrated exemplary embodiment ofthe invention, has, a lower surface for engagement with the shoulder andan upper exposed surface and comprises straight front and back endportions l0 and H having straight, parallel inner and outer edges, andan intermediate portion I! of curved outline having concentricallycurved inner and outer edges, its inner edge l3 being of relativelygreater length than its outer edge l4, and the inner and outer straightedges of the end portions l0 and l I being substantially tangential tothe inner and outer curved edges [3 and H. The curvature of the portionI2 is predetermined with respect to the slope of an average shoulder. Itwill thus be seen that when the strap is engaged over the shoulder, withthe end portions I0 and I substantially vertically disposed, theintermediate portion l2 conforms to the slope of the shoulder withsubstantially equal pressure at its inner and outer edges, these edgesbeing of substantially corresponding length to the unequal lengthsurfaces of the shoulder engaged thereby. The strap will stay inposition without being under tension. This is shown clearly in Fig. 4.In Fig. 6 there is shown, for comparison purposes, the manner in whichthe heretofore known shoulder strap engages a sloping shoulder. As theinner and outer edges are of equal length the inner edge fits tightlyagainst the surface of the sloping shoulder, while the outer edge israised therefrom. Obviously, when any strain is imposed thereon theinner edge will press into the flesh to a greater extent than the outeredge. Also, the strap must be under tension in order to retain itsposition upon the shoulder.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the shoulder strap is incorporated in thegarment in the usual manner, the front end portions l0 being connectedto the front of the garment [5 by means of loop tabs I6, and the backend portion l I being connected to the back of the garment by elastictape members I1.

The shoulder strap may be produced in any suitable manner from anyappropriate material, for instance, it may be woven or knitted to itspre-shaped form, it may be blanked or cut out from suitable wovenmaterial in which case the edges will be biased to the weave of thematerial, or, it may be blanked, cut out, or molded from suitablecomposition or plastic material of a flexible nature. The material mayeither be nonstretchable or elastically stretchable to any desirabledegree.

I have illustrated and described-preferred and satisfactory embodimentsof the invention, but it will be understood that changes may be madetherein, within the spirit and scope thereof, defined in the appendedclaims. 6 1 r 7 What is claimed is:

1. A shoulder strap for ladies undergarments or the like, comprising astrip of flexible material having inner and outer edges and upper andlower surfaces and including a front "end portion having equal lengthparallel inner and outer edges for attachment to the front upper edge ofthe garment, a rear end portion having equal length parallel inner andouter edges for attachment to the back upper edge of the garment, and anintermediate shoulder engaging portion substantially centrally of saidfront and rear end portion, the inner edge of said strip along saidintermediate houlder engaging portion being longer than the outer edge,whereby when "said allel to each other and said intermediate portion istransversely inclined between its inner and outer edges.

2 In combinati'on, a ladies undergarment having front and back upperedges, and a pair of shoulder traps attached thereto, each comprising astrip of flexible material having inner and outer edges and upper andlower surfaces and including a front end portion having equal lengthparallel inner and outer edges attached to the front upper edge of thegarment at one side of the center, arearend portion having equal lengthparallel inner and outer edges attached to the back upper edge of thegarment at one side of :the center, and an intermediate shoulderengagingportion' substantially centrally of said front and rear endportions, the inner edge of said strip along said intermediate shoulderengaging portion beinglon'ger than the outer edge whereby said front andrear end portions extend straight downwardly from said intermediateportion, with their lower surfaces substantially opposite and parallelto each other and said intermediate portion is transversely inclineddownwardly from its inner to-its 'outer edges.

JOHN V. HOLLAR.

Number Name Date 630 1,535,666 .Hodgkins Apr. 28, 1925 1,549,672 LazierAug. 11, 1925 l;9 54,'768 Krakauer Apr. 10, 1934: :Sulverman Feb. 22,1938

